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| Class | Order | Family | Genus species | Images | Notes | Author | Char |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calcarea | Clathrinida | Clathrinidae | Clathrina? sp. | 3 | It may correspond to Clathrina coriacea (Montagu, 1818) described by several Caribbean authors (a name from NE Atlantic). Yellow cushions with upper or scattered oscula, made of riddled tubules, but somehow compact and possibly sharing a cortex. Only with triactines . It can belong to another genus (Leucascus?) or family of the order Clathrinida. Apparently, there is no available name for Caribbean populations of this species. For Clathrina revision see Klautau & Valentine (2003) | yellow,encrusting,soft | |
| Calcarea | Clathrinida | Leucettidae | Leucetta floridana | 4 | Light pink or lilac irrugular vases-tubes hanging from cave roofs; consistency stiff, like fiberglass; large spicules stab fingers | (Haeckel, 1872) | white,pink-lilac,tube,lobate,hard |
| Demospongiae | Agelasida | Agelasidae | Agelas cerebrum | 19 | Pinkish/orange, thick jugs-tubes; surface wit round oscules surrounded by convoluted deep crevices | Assman, van Soest & Köck, 2001 | pink-lilac,orange,cinnamon-tan,tube,vase,tough |
| Demospongiae | Agelasida | Agelasidae | Agelas cervicornis | 15 | Brown, thin, smooth, erect branches with scattered oscules | (Schmidt, 1870) | brown,branching,tough |
| Demospongiae | Agelasida | Agelasidae | Agelas citrina | 21 | Pinkish, tan or orange, ear-shaped thick fans; orange when filling crevices. The latter may be confused with Clathria faviformis Lehnert & van Soest, 1996 | Alcolado, 1987 | pink-lilac,orange,cream,cinnamon-tan,orange-yellow,encrusting,vase,fan,massive,lobate,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae | Agelasida | Agelasidae | Agelas clathrodes | 22 | Orange, fan-shaped; surface with elongated-contorted holes; it does not have round oscules with a dermis collar | (Schmidt, 1870) | orange,brown,fan,massive,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae | Agelasida | Agelasidae | Agelas conifera | 25 | Browhish/pinkish/cinnamon orange; laterally fused tubes running on branches | (Schmidt, 1870) | brown,orange,cinnamon-tan,branching,tube,fan,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae | Agelasida | Agelasidae | Agelas dilatata | 33 | Light brown to tan fans arising from a narrower base, thin; with round oscules on the upper (exposed) surface | Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 | brown,orange,cinnamon-tan,branching,fan,massive,tough |
| Demospongiae | Agelasida | Agelasidae | Agelas dispar | 24 | Brown, massive, lobate, club-shaped, fan-shaped | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | brown,branching,vase,fan,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae | Agelasida | Agelasidae | Agelas sceptrum | 18 | Withish orange, creeping or erect branches | (Lamarck, 1815) | orange,cinnamon-tan,branching,tough |
| Demospongiae | Agelasida | Agelasidae | Agelas schmidti | 5 | Thin-walled, orange tubes arising from a crevice-filling mass. Originally thought part of A. sventres | Wilson, 1902 | orange,branching,encrusting,tube,papillated,tough |
| Demospongiae | Agelasida | Agelasidae | Agelas sventres | 20 | Orange, football shaped to crevice filling with lobate outgrowths; round oscules with a collar. Previous authors called it an orange morphotype of Agelas dispar | Lehnert & van Soest, 1996 | orange,encrusting,spherical,massive,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae | Agelasida | Agelasidae | Agelas tubulata | 1 | Pinkish/orange smooth tubes; if several, they araise from a single base and tend to grow separately | Lehnert & van Soest, 1996 | brown,cinnamon-tan,tube,tough |
| Demospongiae | Agelasida | Agelasidae | Agelas wiedenmayeri | 2 | Brown clusters of tubes coming up from a basal, crevice filling mass | Alcolado, 1984 | brown,tube,tough |
| Demospongiae | Agelasida | Astroscleridae | Ceratoporella nicholsoni | 7 | Pink, rounded masses, reminiscent of baby butts. Stony hard owing to its calcareous basal skeleton, which makes it a sclerosponge. Found only in deep reef crevices | (Hickson, 1911) | orange,cream,cinnamon-tan,encrusting,massive,hard |
| Demospongiae | Astrophorida | Ancorinidae | Asteropus niger | 2 | Massive, tough, with oscules in groups, shiny black externally and internally, surface rough. Spicules are long and very small oxeas sanidasters and slender asters | Hajdu & van Soest, 1992 | black,massive,tough |
| Demospongiae | Astrophorida | Ancorinidae | Stelletta kallitetilla | 4 | Originally described under genus Myriastra. Gobular to massive, tough sponge, bright yellow-green to dark green, growing on mangrove stilt roots. There may be a top oscule. Surface usually nodulose, but can be even, hispid; can also be clean or heavily fouled | (de Laubenfels, 1936) | white,purple-violet,yellow,green,brown,cream,massive,spherical,tough |
| Demospongiae | Astrophorida | Ancorinidae | Stelletta pudica | 5 | Originally described under genus Jaspis. Spherical sponge with a central or lateral oscule; color cream with browish tinges, but difficult to distinguish owing to a heavy fouling. Megasclere spicules are long oxeas in primary tracts. Microsclere spicules are tiny tylasters. | (Wiedenmayer, 1977) | brown,spherical,massive,tough |
| Demospongiae | Astrophorida | Calthropellidae | Pachataxa lutea | 4 | Bright lemon yellow encrustations or cavity-filling masses living in crevices and under corals, with the tissue peculiarly stretched from wall to floor or wall to wall. Material from The Bahamas only has a few of the calthrop megasclere spicules characteristic of the species, and quite deformed and of much smaller size than those from the type locality (Jamaica) and Colombia. It would need to be compared to the other Caribbean species Pachataxa lithistina (Schmidt, 1870, described as Pachastrella ), from Mexico | Pulitzer-Finali, 1986 | yellow,encrusting,tough |
| Demospongiae | Astrophorida | Geodiidae | Erylus bahamensis | 7 | Described from The Bahamas as Erylus formosus by Wiedenmayer (1977). E. formosus Sollas, 1888 is apparently another species from Brazil. Repent branches or ridged masses or stalked lobes; detachable dermis black, internal color cream. Oscules flush to the surface, scattered and on ridged protuberances. Consistency of the dermis slightly leathery, choanosome crumbly. Within The Bahamas, our material varies slightly with locality in the spicule complement (width and shape of aspidaster spicule, size of tylaster spicule, etc.), but the overall shape and color are quite similar and we are quite certain that there is a single open reef species in the Caribbean. There are other species names available that vary only slightly and subtly in spicule complement and shape, which call for a thorough revision of the genus in the W. Atlantic | Pulitzer-Finali, 1986 | black,cream,branching,encrusting,massive,soft,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Astrophorida | Geodiidae | Geodia gibberosa | 0 | Black upper exposed side, white unexposed sides with pore sieves (photo not available). We have not yet found G. papyracea Hechtel, 1965 in The Bahamas, another species inhabiting mangrove stilt roots, which is crumblier. We base our identification in the presence of a small category of oxea spicules traversing abundantly the cortex of sterraster spicules (also present in Sidonops neptuni, which has a different form and habitat). Many oxeas appear flexuous in dried and mounted sections, as in G. flexisclera Pulitzer-Finali, 1986, described from The Bahamas but synonymized with G. gibberosa in the World Porifera Database, but the flexion is, in our case, an artifact of section preparation | Lamarck, 1815 | white,black,massive,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Astrophorida | Geodiidae | Sidonops neptuni | 4 | Also placed under genus Geodia. Large and thick, inverted tan cones, with furrows in the inner surface and scattered holes in the outer surface. Consistency very hard and tough, difficult to cut or tear | (Sollas, 1888) | brown,cinnamon-tan,vase,hard,tough |
| Demospongiae | Chondrosida | Chondrillidae | Chondrilla caribensis f. caribensis | 3 | Previously known as cosmopolitan Chondrilla nucula Gray (a name used originally for Mediterranean populations). In recent work it was demonstrated that Caribbean populations were a separate species, segretated in two ecological morphs, possibly also different species. The forma caribensis is graysh to reddish brown, thickly encrusting, often lobed. It inhabits mangrove and shallow lagoons. The other form of the species (hermatypica) lives in the open reef, is thinner and mustard to greenish yellow | Rützler, Duran & Piantoni, 2007 | brown,cinnamon-tan,encrusting,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae | Chondrosida | Chondrillidae | Chondrilla caribensis f. hermatypica | 5 | Shiny mustard yellow to greenish yellow, tough encrustations with paler oscular areas (often in a star pattern). It inhabits reefs, sometimes overgrowing live corals. | Rützler, Duran & Piantoni, 2007 | yellow,cream,cinnamon-tan,encrusting,tough |
| Demospongiae | Chondrosida | Chondrillidae | Chondrilla sp.-cave, grayish morphotype | 1 | Gray encrutation with paler oscular areas. Found in deep reef caves. It has a reticulation of spicules in the dermis, which is generally absent in the other Chondrilla morphotypes; spicules tend to be stouter than the other Chondrilla morphotypes of The Bahamas. | blue,gray,encrusting,tough | |
| Demospongiae | Chondrosida | Chondrillidae | Chondrosia "reniformis" | 2 | Brown mass with whitish spots; surface convoluted and shiny; oscules large and deep (sometimes not present); very tough. The name C. reniformis Nardo, 1847 is from The Mediterranean and the Caribbean material possibly needs a new name. | Nardo, 1847 | white,brown,massive,encrusting,tough |
| Demospongiae | Chondrosida | Chondrillidae | Chondrosia collectrix | 4 | Shiny black, tough cushions or encrustations. No spicules | (Schmidt, 1870) | black,encrusting,tough |
| Demospongiae | Dendroceratida | Darwinellidae | Chelonaplysilla "erecta" | 1 | Soft, dark purple cushions-encrustations. Skin looks paler than oscular collars. In the W. Atlantic this species has been named C. erecta (Row, 1911), which is a name for the Red Sea. It probably needs a new name. | (Row, 1911) | purple-violet,encrusting,soft |
| Demospongiae | Dendroceratida | Dictyodendrillidae | Igernella notabilis | 4 | Originally placed under genus Euryades. Also known as Darwinella joyeuxi Topsent, 1889. Bright pink cushions or clumped branches-lobes with upper oscules. The color looks solid throughout the tissue. Characteristic diactine and triactine spongin filaments that look like soft spicules | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | red,pink-lilac,encrusting,tube,massive,lobate,soft |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Dysideidae | Dysidea etheria | 5 | Usually made of soft, erect and tangled branches, rather transparent, navy blue; scattered oscules with transparent collars; when oscules are on top of branches, they appear as tubes. Can be also encrusting or massive | de Laubenfels, 1936 | blue,pink-lilac,branching,massive,encrusting,tube,bushy,lobate,soft |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Dysideidae | Dysidea janiae | 1 | Creamy pink groups of crumbly tubes, often attached to gorgonians. Its skeleton is made up of the red alga Jania adherens with spongin | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | pink-lilac,tube,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Dysideidae | Dysidea? sp. | 2 | Light pinkish to bluish, thickly encrusting, with prominent conules. Specimens lost for taxonomic identification; they may not be the same species. They look similar to some specimens of Dysidea etheria. | blue,pink-lilac,encrusting,massive,soft | |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Dysideidae | Pleraplysilla sp. | 4 | Thin, greenish to yellowish to orangy soft crusts with characteristic raised oscular collars and exhalant canals. It becomes dark bue to purple upon exposure to air. This is an undescribed species. As as skeleton it only has vertical, undivided fibers loaded with debris | gray,yellow,green,pink-lilac,orange,encrusting,soft | |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Irciniidae | Ircinia felix-brown, dark oscules, massive morphotype | 8 | Massive in shape. Oscules usually spread over the surface, sometimes in groups. Surface conulose .Its color can be dark brown to light brown to grayish, with characteristic darker oscular rims; cryptic specimens can be decolored. Whether the various morphotypes of what is called Ircinia felix are different species remains to be determined. This form may be what Rützler (1988) calls I. felix forma felix in Bermuda | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | white,gray,brown,cream,cinnamon-tan,encrusting,fan,massive,tough |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Irciniidae | Ircinia felix-whitish, dark oscules, sprawling morphotype | 13 | Thinly encrusting, sprawling to erect, with oscular mounds, ridges or branches. Surface with low conules; oscules usually on top of conical elevations or aligned on ridges. Creamy to grayish color and oscules with a dark rim. Whether the various morphotypes of what is called Ircinia felix are different species remains to be determined. This form may contain in part be what Rützler (1988) calls I. felix forma fistularis (Verrill, 1907) from Bermuda. | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | white,gray,brown,cream,branching,encrusting,tube,fan,massive,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Irciniidae | Ircinia sp.-black and smooth morphotype | 3 | Massive to lobate, jet black, often smooth, with scattered oscules. Surface may be conulose on the sides. Presence of spongin fibrils and sulfur/garlic smell confirmed it to be an Ircinia; fibers are not as cored by foreign material as the other species of Ircinia. Found growing near I. strobilina black and they are easily distinguished. Smaller I. strobilina appear to have large conules like the adults. It may be confused with Hyrtios ?caracasensis | black,massive,tough | |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Irciniidae | Ircinia sp.-creamy/dirty morphotype | 15 | Thckly encrusting to massive, sometimes irregular. It usually has large conules, sometimes interconnected by ridges. The color is dirty yellow to cream. Oscules are dark, scattered or in groups. This group may comprise specimens of various Ircinia species, whose surface embedds a lot of sediment and thus appears dirty. | brown,cream,cinnamon-tan,massive,tough | |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Irciniidae | Ircinia sp.-tigrina morphotype | 10 | Globular sponges with large and packed conules. Color usually creamy or grayish, or light brown. Oscules are usually grouped on top, on a depression, but can conform scattered groups. There are often groups of pores on the sides of the sponge, but this may not unique to this species. It is what Vacelet (1990) calls Ircinia sp. from St. Barthelemy, dubbed by him Ircinia "tigrina" (pers. comm.). It may also conform to what Rutzler (1988) calls I. felix forma acuta (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864), although van Soest (1978) had considered it to be I. strobilina. | (Lamarck, 1816) | white,brown,cream,cinnamon-tan,black,spherical,massive,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Irciniidae | Ircinia strobilina | 22 | Massive, globular, large. Jet black (shiny) or grayish (opaque) black. Large conules often connected by ridges. Oscules often grouped on the top, located in a large depression in larger individuals. There are two individuals included tentatively here (24, no photo; 134, photo), pending further work | (Lamarck, 1816) | gray,black,massive,fan,spherical,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Spongiidae | Hyattella cavernosa | 2 | Also named Hyattella intestinalis (Lamarck, 1814) (a name from the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific). Semiburied masses crown with irregular processes and lobes, gray to black on top, gray to cream on the sides and in buried parts. Areas of semitransparent skin pierced by fields of holes are common. The material examined from The Bahamas possess the characteristic Spongiidae primary (cored) and secondary reticulation, plus the tertiary reticulation supporting the dermis in some parts. Not to be confused with Hyrtios cavernosus sensu Wiedenmayer (1977), which is herein included under the name Hyrtios ?caracasensis. From the lacking of photographs from The Bahamas, photos from Colombia are included | (Pallas, 1766) | gray,black,cream,encrusting,massive,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Spongiidae | Spongia sp. | 0 | Pend. Comparison with other Spongia or with Smenospongia. | green,massive,tough | |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Spongiidae | Spongia sp. "obscura" shaggy | 4 | Black, laterally flattened or rounded mounds. Flattened ones with oscules aligned on tops; rounded ones with scattered oscules. Oscules with a conical collar. Surface shaggy with fiber ends. Interior brick red. Spongin fibers thinner than in other Spongia of this guide, in a more packed reticulation. Definite identification pending | (Hyatt, 1877) | black,massive,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Spongiidae | Spongia sp. "obscura" smooth | 3 | Black, smooth mounds, often quite rounded but can be laterally expanded. Oscules scattered or aligned, with a conical collar. Interior color creamy. Fibers thicker than Spongia sp. "obscura" shaggy. Definite identification pending | (Hyatt, 1877) | black,massive,tough |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Spongiidae | Spongia sp. "tubulifera" fouled | 6 | Globular masses. Skin color is black, but appears heavily fouled in between scattered oscules, which can be elevated as chimneys; they end in a conical collar. Interior creamy white. Fiber similar to Spongia sp. "obscura" smooth, thicker than Spongia sp. "obscura" shaggy. Definite identification pending | Lamarck, 1813) | black,massive,tough |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Thorectidae | Hyrtios ?caracasensis | 6 | Correspondos to what Wiedenmayer (1977) called Hyrtios cavernosus, but it is not the original Hyatella cavernosa (Pallas, 1766), which is a different, valid species, not yet found in The Bahamas [also known as Hyatella intestinalis (Lamarck, 1814) by some Caribbean authors]. Dark-gray exterior, cream interior. It smells like sponge of the genus Ircinia (garlic and sulfur), but does not have spongin fibrills. Fasciculated and striated spongin fibers. Primaries with debris, often fasciculated; secondary inteconecting usually clean; fibers not have as much debris as H. proteus Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864, which is jet black in the field in other areas of the Caribbean. Hyrtios caracasensis is described as dark purple. As H. proteus has not been found in this survey in The Bahamas, it is still possible that this may be the local morphotype of H. proteus. The lower amount of coring debris puts the temporary balance into caracasensis instead of proteus. | (Carter, 1882) | gray,black,massive,tough |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Thorectidae | Hyrtios ?tubulatus | 1 | Black mass with volcano-shaped oscular mounds; surface with a honeycomb pattern of fiber endings. This is a tentative designation, pending revision of more material. It is not H. proteus, which is massive and do not tend to form tubes. | Lehnert & van Soest, 1998 | black,tube,massive,soft |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Thorectidae | Hyrtios violaceus | 6 | Also known as Oligoceras hemorraghes de Laubenfels, 1936. Sprawling, irregular masses of interconnected repent fingers or blunt ridges with slightly elevated oscules located on top. Color brownish to purplish. Exudates purple ink but only sometime after collection | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | black,brown,purple-violet,massive,encrusting,tube,soft |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Thorectidae | Hyrtios? sp. | 2 | Black cushions, smooth to lowly conulose. It uses a branching red coralline algae as skeleton. Different from Dysidea janiae (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) in color and shape. Generic and species identity pending further work. | black,massive,tough,soft | |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Thorectidae | Smenospongia aurea | 12 | Massive, often forming groups of adjacent oscular mounds or volcanos. It becomes dark and exudes abundant mucus when handled. Two color morphs: drab to brown skin-yellow oscules-yellow flesh; light greenish skin-yellow green oscules-yellow green flesh. Two species are readily distinguished in the Caribbean, often co-existing: S. aurea and S. conulosa Pulitzer-Finali, 1986. It is distinguished from S. conulosa by the honeycomb pattern of the dermis resting on fibers while in S. conulosa the primary fibers ends at the surface form blunt projections not connected to each other. There is considerable taxonomic confusion regarding this species, with many names still avaiable, which persist owing to the similarity among fixed, type specimens. Older names that may fit into this species are those of Duchassaing & Michelotti (1864, Spongia musicalis, Spongia cerebriformis), and also younger Polyfibrospongia echina de Laubenfels, 1934. | (Hyatt, 1875) | gray,yellow,green,cream,cinnamon-tan,branching,tube,massive,lobate,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae | Dictyoceratida | Thorectidae | Smenospongia conulosa | 10 | Massive, with oscular mounds or volcanoes, Bright to dark green to brown black. It becomes dark and exude abundant mucus when handled. Distinguished from S. aurea (Hyatt, 1875) by having blunt ends of primary fibers protruding on the surface, while the surface of S. aurea forms a honeycomb pattern of ridges. These primary fibers are also wider apart than in S. aurea | Pulitzer-Finali, 1986 | green,brown,tube,massive,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Clionaidae | Cervicornia cuspidifera | 5 | Tan or mustard yellow, antler like, erect irregular cylinders arising from the bottom, single or in groups. There is a large portion buried under the substratum. Formerly placed under genus Spheciospongia | (Lamarck, 1815) | yellow,cinnamon-tan,branching,bushy,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Clionaidae | Cliona ?laticavicola | 10 | Excavating sponge. Bright orange papillae (inhalant and exhalant; sometimes fused) scattered on dead coral; common on the undersides of branches of the coral Acropora palmata (live or dead). Tylostyle spicules with small and irregular heads. No microscleres. Identity pending revision. May be confused with papillated Cliona delitrix, with similar spicules (pending detailed comparisons of size). Up to this point we are distinguishing C. ?laticavicola from papillated C. delitrix by the larger size (width and height) of oscular papillae in the latter | Pang, 1973 | orange,papillated,soft |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Clionaidae | Cliona ?peponaca | 1 | Excavating sponge. Orange oscular and inhalant papillae; tylostyle spicules with a well-formed head, no microscleries. Identity pending further revision. May be confused with C. laticavicola (or papillated C. delitrix) | Pang, 1973 | orange,papillated,soft |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Clionaidae | Cliona aprica | 11 | Excavating sponge. Fields of black papillae, often partly fused, level with the substratum, slightly elevated when relaxed. This sponge excavates the upper 1-2 cm of the substratum, filling cavities with a greenish yellow tissue. For distinction from other similar species see Zea & Weil (2003) | Pang, 1973 | black,encrusting,papillated,hard,tough |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Clionaidae | Cliona caribbaea | 60 | Also known as Cliona langae Pang, 1973. Dark green to brown incrustations, spread over the excavated substratum, reaching sizes up to about 1-2 m; young specimens are made of partly fused papillae. Oscules conspicuous, usually of lighter color. Can be confused with Cliona tenuis (not yet found in The Bahamas), which is thinner (the substratum is visible through the tissue) and has tiny oscules (apart from spiculation, see Zea and Weil, 2003). This sponge excavates the upper 1-2 cm of the substratum, filling cavities with a greenish yellow tissue | Carter, 1882 | green,black,brown,encrusting,papillated,hard,tough |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Clionaidae | Cliona delitrix | 10 | Excavating sponge. It excavates and encrusts massive corals. Externally it appears as a bright red encrustation with many scattered elevated papillae and one or several large and deep oscules with a high dermal collar. Excavations are deep, filled with orange tissue. The papillated forms need to be compared with C. laticavicola Pang, 1973; they have the same type of spicules but apparently different size (further studies pending) | Pang, 1973 | red,yellow,green,orange,encrusting,papillated,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Clionaidae | Cliona schmidti | 1 | Excavating sponge. Sparse, rather cryptic papillae; it was revealed to us when collecting another excavating sponge (Cliona aprica, righ side of photo) as a deep blue excavating tissue (center of photo). C. schmidti was originally described from the Mediterranean Sea. It remains to be determined if W. Atlantic populations are conspecific or different. | (Ridley, 1881), sensu Pang (1973) | blue,papillated,soft |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Clionaidae | Cliona sp. amber papillae | 4 | Excavating sponge. Amber brown-tan papillae. One specimen has tylostyles and thick spirasters; the other specimen only has tylostyles. It may be a young form of Cliona varians (Duch. & Mich., 1864), but it needs to be compared with C. flavifodina Rützler, 1974 and C. paucispina Rützler, 1974 | yellow,cinnamon-tan,papillated,tough | |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Clionaidae | Cliona sp.-orange crust | 2 | Excavating sponge. Orange incrustation with large oscules, no papillae. Should not be confused with co-occurring C. delitrix, which shows elevated papillae even in fully encrusting individuals. Spicules of one specimen are close to C. dioryssa (de Laubenfels, 1950), but another specimen from the same area does not have spirasters | orange,encrusting,tough,hard | |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Clionaidae | Cliona tenuis | 5 | Excavating sponge. It encrust entirely the excavated substratum with a thin veneer of brown tissue; the underlying coral skeleton can be discerned. Oscules are small and inconspicuous. Can grow up to several m in diameter, especially in fore reef pavement settings. It prefers windsward, wave-exposed shallow reefs. We did not observe it in The Bahamas, because we did not visit open windward reef sites. The accompanied photos are from Colombia. It has been colonizing the dead stands of the elkhorn coral Acropora palmata throughout the Caribbean. It can be distinguished from C. caribbaea Carter, 1882 by the latter being thicker and with larger oscules; there are also slight spicular differences (size and shape, see Zea & Weil, 2003). This sponge excavates the upper 1-2 cm of the substratum, filling cavities with a greenish yellow tissue | Zea & Weil, 2003 | brown,encrusting,soft |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Clionaidae | Cliona varians | 16 | Previously placed under genus Anthosigmella. Excavating sponge. Dull orange to tan or brownish, thick encrustations that may cover several square meters of substratum. Oscules are relatively large, paler and slighlty elevated. | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | yellow,brown,orange,green,cream,cinnamon-tan,encrusting,tough,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Clionaidae | Spheciospongia vesparium | 19 | Also known as Spheciospongia othella de Laubenfels, 1950. Black, leathery skin, and dark gray interior. Young reef individuals are encrusting and excavating, with a few scattered large and deep oscules, often like low volcanoes. Larger specimens are globular with one or two large atria. Surface with scattered fields of holes, often colonized by whitish zoanthids. Young specimens inhabiting sand and rubble appear as scattered elevated lobular papillae with many perforations, protruding from the substrate. Large specimens are giant barrels or globules, with 1-2 thick-lipped large atria, and the surface with the same perforated papillae. There exists S. vesparium forma pallida Vicente, Rützler & Carballeira, 1991 described from Puerto Rico but not yet found in The Bahamas. | (Lamarck, 1815) | black,encrusting,massive,papillated,vase,tough |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Polymastiidae | Polymastia tenax | 4 | This sponge appears as reddish brown groups of large papillae surrounding tall membranous oscules, filling crevices or growoing among coral branches. It is very tough and papillae contract upon contact. Very probably this species is a junior synonym of Polymastia nigra Alcolado, 1984. Upon confirmation, the latter name would have priority. Another species that may be conspecific with these is P. fordei Lehnert & van Soest, 1999. Spicule lenght and thickness and degree of development of subtylostyle spicule head appear to vary geographically, generating confusion | Pulitzer-Finali, 1986 | brown,encrusting,papillated,tough |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Spirastrellidae | Diplastrella ?micraster | 7 | Erroneously being called Diplastrella megastellata (Hechtel, 1965), which is a good, different species. Bright red or orange encrustations. Tough and leathery cortex. Suface pierced by rounded to elongated furrows with slightly elevated borders; furrows are not connected to each other, as in Placospongia; oscules round and larger, interspersed throughout the surface, also with slightly elevated collars. There is a cortex of spheraster-looking diplaster spicules, supported by rather sparse thick tracts of tylostyle spicules. A small category of micraster spicules is present. By the latter it is similar to Timea micraster Lehnert & Heimler, 2001. The definite identification needs further work | (Lehnert & Heimler, 2001) | red,orange,encrusting,tough |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Spirastrellidae | Spirastrella coccinea | 12 | Thick, leathery incrustations with scattered, slighlty elevated oscules. Color bright vermillion in shallow specimens, dull red in deeper specimens, the latter as a result of having a withish skin patched by bright colored inhalant areas (oscular collars are also whitish). S. hartmani Boury-Esnault, Klautau, Bézac, Wulff and Solé-Cava, 1999 is distinguished from S. coccinea by having a salmon color, a softer consistency, and clearly elevanted exhalant canals that converge in raised oscula. S. coccinea has a category of stouter spiraster spicules | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | red,orange,encrusting,tough |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Spirastrellidae | Spirastrella hartmani | 7 | Previoulsy known as S. cuncatrix (Schmidt, 1868), which is a different species from the Mediterranean. Thick encrustantions, salmon color to dull orange, usually with oscules and exhalant canals forming an elevanted vein star pattern over the surface. S. mollis Verrill, 1907 may be a previous name, but as the type specimen seems to be lost (Boury-Esnault et al., 1999), it cannot be compared at present. It may be a valid, different species, existing only in Bermuda, as in other reef localities of The Caribbean, there are only two Spirastrella coexisting morphs corresponding to S. hartmani and to S. coccinea (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864). The latter species is bright vermillion or dull red, more leathery, and has a stouter category of spiraster spicules | Boury-Esnault, Klautau, Bézac, Wulff & Solé-Cava, 1999 | brown,orange,gray,cinnamon-tan,encrusting,tough |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Suberitidae | Aaptos lithophaga | 4 | Black; rounded masses or sprawling thick encrustations. Originally described from The Bahamas under the genus Epipolasis. Also placed under the genus Aaptos. | (Wiedenmayer, 1977) | black,brown,encrusting,massive,tough |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Suberitidae | Prosuberites laughlini | 3 | Originally described under genus Eurypon. Thickly encrusting, bright orange, with a rather uneven and rough surface, with scattered oscules having an elevated, transparent collar. Spicules protrude from the surface | (Diaz, Alvarez & van Soest, 1987) | orange,encrusting,soft |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Suberitidae | Suberites aurantiacus | 1 | Also placed under genus Terpios, and known also as Terpios zeteki de Laubenfels, 1936. Tangled, finger-shaped or lobular branches in lagoonal, usually brackish environments. Internal color can be orange to yellow, tinged in the surface with gray, green, purple tones. Wide and deep oscules on top and sides of branches. Upon handling, the skin retracts; the sponge then is reminiscent of a Codium green algae. For the lack of pictures from The Bahamas, a photo from Colombia is included | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | green,orange,gray,yellow,branching,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Suberitidae | Terpios belindae | 1 | Thin, orange encrustations; small oscules spread throughout the surface. Distinguished from other orange encrustations by its pin-like tylostyle spicules with lobed heads | Rützler & Smith, 1993 | orange,encrusting,soft |
| Demospongiae | Hadromerida | Tethyidae | Tectitethya crypta | 9 | Also placed under genera Tethya and Cryptotethya. Thick to globular masses with top, membranous oscules. Surface papillated. Heavy fouling prevents detailing the surface and color, which is dark olive green. The species lives in sand and rubble in lagoonal environments | (de Laubenfels, 1936) | white,green,black,massive,tough,soft,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Axinellidae | Axinella corrugata | 4 | Originally placed under genus Acanthella. Also known as Oxeostylon (or Teichaxinella) burtoni de Laubenfels, 1934. Orange-yellow bushes, often with tubular ends. Surface very corrugated and hispid. It has been synonymyzed with Teichaxinella morchella Wiedenmayer, 1977, which is more probably Stylissa caribica Lehnert & van Soest, 1998, also pictured in this guide. S. caribica which has a softer and smoother skin, with has wider convolutions. In addition, it has only regular sized styles as spicules, in contrast to the additional category of long styles and oxea spicules of A. corrugata | (George & Wilson, 1919) | orange,orange-yellow,branching,tube,bushy,tough |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Axinellidae | Dragmacidon explicatum | 13 | Previoulsy placed under genera Pseudaxinella and Ectyoplasia (as Ectyoplasia ferox explicata). Thick bright orange or red encrustations with volcano-like oscules having a wide rim and often partly or totally closed by a diafragm; surface often spiny or having a honeycombed pattern of ridges. It was previously synonymized with Dragmacidon reticulatum (=also locally known as Pseudaxinella lunaecharta). However, this is a clearly distinct although similarly-looking species, coexisting with D. reticulatum in some areas (Stirrups Cays, Bahamas, Santa Marta, Colombia), with distinct spicules. D. explicatum has a more elaborated surface and is tougher, while D. reticulatum has a smoother surface is softer and often grows erect. In coexisting specimens, D. explicatum has some of the styles spicules as long as the oxea spicules, while D. reticulatum has oxea larger than styles | (Wiedenmayer, 1977) | orange,encrusting,massive,bushy,lobate,tough,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Axinellidae | Dragmacidon reticulatum | 8 | Previously known as Pseudaxinella lunaecharta Ridley and Dendy, 1886, a name from the E. Atlantic. Small masses to erect clubs or thick lamellae, brigh orange or red; surface usually smooth, with scattered oscules, often flush to the surface, and aligned on the upper ridges. Dragmacidon explicatum was placed in synonymy with D. reticulatum but they are clearly distinct species, in overall shape and spicule characteristics. They coexist in some areas (Stirrups Cays, Bahamas, Santa Marta, Colombia). D. reticulatum has a smoother surface and often grows erect, while D. explicatum has a more elaborated surface and is predominantly thickly encrusting and slightly softer. In coexisting specimens, typically, D. reticulatum has oxea spicules larger than the style spicules, while D. explicatum has some of the styles as long as the oxea | (Ridley & Dendy, 1886) | orange,red,branching,fan,bushy,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Axinellidae | Dragmaxia undata | 1 | Orange-yellow, low mounds to low bushes, with all the surface made of irregular hispid projections. The species was collected in The Bahamas but no photo was obtained. A photo from Santa Marta, Colombia, is included | Alvarez, van Soest & Rützler, 1998 | orange-yellow,massive,bushy,tough |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Axinellidae | Ptilocaulis marquezi | 1 | Also placed under genus Teichaxinella. Orange, erect, cylindrical branches, single or divided, with the surface composed of thin, semihorizontal lamellae. Can be confused with Ptilocaulis walpersi, wich is usually more scarlet, and has the surface projections more spinous, round and blunt. They can be distinguished by the spicules (styles in P. walpersi, oxea in P. marquezi). P. marquezi is always much more uncommon than P. walpersi (we have not been able to photograph a specimen in-situ in The Bahamas) | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | orange,branching,tough |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Axinellidae | Ptilocaulis walpersi | 7 | Scarlet red to orange cylindrical branches, single or divided. Surface with spiny, round and blunt processes. Can be confused with P. marquezi ((Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864), which is usually more orange and has flattened lamellae in the surface. They are also distinguished by spicules (oxea in P. marquezi, styles in P. walpersi). P. walpersi is much more common (P. marquezi is rare) | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | red,orange,branching,tough |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Dictyonellidae | Acanthella ?mastophora | 1 | Orange-yellow bush; tube-like branches arise from a single stalk. Confirmation of the species name needs further work. Spicules are sinuous strongyles and curved styles. | (Schmidt, 1870) | orange,tube,bushy,soft |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Dictyonellidae | Dictyonella funicularis | 5 | Previously placed under genus Ulosa. Olive green. Thinly encrusting, often with many erect processes and tangled branchelets, becoming massive. It is frequently found on other sponges. | (Rützler, 1981) | green,gray,branching,encrusting,massive,bushy,soft |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Dictyonellidae | Scopalina ruetzleri | 8 | Originally described under genus Ulosa. Rather soft and fluffy orange to orange-yellow cushions. Surface conulose, rather transparent, with scatered and membranous oscules. Naturally shrunk specimens look less transparent and show tufts of spicules at the tip of conules | (Wiedenmayer, 1977) | orange,orange-yellow,encrusting,soft |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Dictyonellidae | Stylissa caribica | 11 | This is possibly the same species as Teichaxinella morchella Wiedenmayer, 1977. But the latter name has been synonymyzed with Axinella corrugata (incorrectly in our oppinion), which is a different species, also pictured in this catalogue. Erect, bright orange bushes, with scattered collared oscules; surface strongly corrugated to lamellated, although the skin is rather lustrous. Spicules are styles in a single size. In contrast, in A. corrugata the surface is hispid and not lustrous, and the megasclere spicules, in addition to the regular size styles, it has very long styles and oxea | Lehnert & van Soest, 1998 | orange,tube,bushy,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Dictyonellidae | Svenzea flava | 8 | Originally described under genus Pseudaxinella. Orange-yellow to yellow thick encrustations to masses, with oscular lobes. Surface smooth; fields of pores are scattered in concave areas. Subsurface color is purple brown, internal color cream. Spicules are strongyles, often slightly asymmetrical (could be called styloids, but the less blunt end is not as pointed as in, for example, S. tubulosa). Alvarez et al. (2002) suggested it to belong to genus Svenzea but it lacks the dark granulous cells that other species of the genus have | (Lehnert & van Soest, 1999) | yellow,cinnamon-tan,orange-yellow,encrusting,tube,massive,lobate,soft,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Dictyonellidae | Svenzea sp.-lobed or thick tubes | 7 | A group of thick vases-tubes, cinnamon in external color, soft and crumbly; subsurface color purplish, interior cream. Spicules are strongyles, curved and somewhat flexuous. In The Bahamas, it has only been seen in deep reef of Plana Cays. A flabellate specimen (number 335) conforms to this species (young stage?). At some point we thought it was Xestospongia caminata Pulitzler-Finali, 1986, but the latter has oxeas as spicules. Svenzea sp. has a skeleton of ascending and interconnecting loose spicule tracts, lather like, embedded in spongin, somewaht similar to Svenzea flava Lehnert & van Soest, 1999 and Svenzea tubulosa (Alcolado & Gotera, 1986), but with the ascending tracts less obvious and plumose; as these, it also seem to lack the strongly pigmented cells described for genus Svenzea | pink-lilac,cinnamon-tan,tube,vase,fan,lobate,tough,soft,crumbly | |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Dictyonellidae | Svenzea tubulosa | 9 | Originally described under genus Scopalina. Tubes and bushes arising from crevices in the bottom. Tubes often have more than one hole. External color yellow, subsurface color purple, interior color cream.The genus allocation here is due to its similarity in texture, color and skeleton to Svenzea flava (Lehnert & van Soest, 1999), although S. tubulosa lacks as S. flava the strongly pigmented cells defined for the genus (see Alvarez et al., 2000). It has erroneously been considered the same as Ectyoplasia ferox, which has different spicules [stout styles and smaller styles spined at the tip in E. ferox, styloids (pointed end blunt) in S. tubulosa] and skeleton (plumose ascending, echinated tracts in E. ferox vs. Plumose ascending and interconnected tracts forming a reticulation in S. tubulosa). Also, E. ferox is a bit stiffer and may have tubes, but arising from an encrusting base, while the base in S. tubulosa is buried. | (Alcolado & Gotera, 1986) | yellow,orange,cinnamon-tan,tube,branching,papillated,bushy,lobate,crumbly,soft |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Dictyonellidae | Svenzea zeai | 11 | Formerly considered (erroneously) Calyx podatypa (de Laubenfels, 1934), which is a valid, different species from shallow crevices (see Zea, 1987, and this catalogue). Originally and tentatively placed under genus Pseudaxinella. Thick encrustations to masses with low to high to globular volcano-shaped oscular mounds. Dark brown exterior and creamy interior. Very crumbly | (Alvarez et al., 1998) | brown,cream,encrusting,tube,massive,lobate,soft,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Halichondriidae | Halichondria melanodocia | 3 | Black or dark gray irregular cushions, rather crumbly, with a few slighlty elevated oscules; skin a bit leathery, with visible reticulation of tangentially placed spicules, it can be detached. It grows on mangrove roots and seagrass beds | de Laubenfels, 1936 | green,black,massive,soft,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Halichondriidae | Topsentia ophiraphidites | 5 | Stiff to hard, globular to massive-amorphous with velvety-hispid surface, often partly buried in sediments or filling crevices in hard substrata, and with projecting elevations, pointed or lobed, sometimes with branchelets. Color from light brown-cinnanon to yellowish. Deep or cave specimens whitish. Reglardless of shape and color, we have placed under this species all stiff specimens with several categories of stout oxea, some of them bent twice, often erect as a palisade in the surface. Perhaps there is more than one species involved, but this needs further studies. For synonymies and related species see Álvarez et al. (1993) | (de Laubenfels, 1934) | yellow,white,brown,pink-lilac,cinnamon-tan,branching,fan,massive,encrusting,spherical,papillated,crumbly,hard,tough |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Heteroxyidae | Higginsia coralloides | 1 | Previously known as Higginsia strigilata (Lamarck, 1814), a name originally from Australia. Scarlet red to orange, erect cylinder or bushes, with the surface formed by many evenly-spaced spiny, roundish processes from which spicules protrude. The species was collected in The Bahamas but no photo was obtained. A photo from Santa Marta, Colombia, is included | Higgin, 1877 | orange,bushy,tough |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Heteroxyidae | Myrmekioderma gyroderma | 7 | Previously placed under genus Topsentia. Erroneously know by many Caribbea authors as Myrmekioderma styx (de Laubenfels, 1953), which is a junior synonym of M. rea (de Laubenfels, 1934), a valid species (also depicted here). Orange-yellow thick masses with conical or lobed oscular elevations. Surface heavily fouled, excepting elongated, meandering grooves of clean tissue (inhalant areas). It is distinguished from M. rea by its large, stout oxea; the latter has thinner oxea and styles. Besides, M. gyroderma lives on hard exposed substrata on the reef, while M. rea fills reef crevices or dwells buried in sand and rubble in lagoonal settings | (Alcolado, 1984) | orange,orange-yellow,tube,massive,lobate,tough,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Halichondrida | Heteroxyidae | Myrmekioderma rea | 6 | Also known as Myrmekioderma styx de Laubenfels, 1953 [but other Caribbean authors used M. styx erroneously for another species which is known now as M. gyroderma (Alcolado, 1984), also described here]. M. rea grows filling cavities in reef hard substratum or is buried in sand and rubble; only the oscular areas are seen as orange-yellow patches, with the surface as a stretched membrane with fields of oscules. Buried surfaces or free sides have circular grooves which contract when handled, forming characteristic warts. This species may co-exists sympatrically with M. gyroderma in reefs, but it is distinguished from the latter in its growth form (massive and exposed in M. gyroderma), the circular grooves (elongated in M. gyroderma), and in having thinner oxea and styles instead of stout oxeas as principal spicules | (de Laubenfels, 1934) | yellow,orange-yellow,encrusting,soft,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Halisarcida | Halisarcidae | Halisarca caerulea | 4 | Encrusting light blue or pinkish leathery patches with darker star patterns of oscules and confluent exhalant canals. No spicules. | Vacelet & Donadey, 1987 | blue,pink-lilac,encrusting,tough |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Calcifibrospongiidae | Calcifibrospongia actinostromarioides | 1 | Orange, hard, encrusting plate, with regularly scattered oscules. It is a sclerosponge, which means it has a basal skeleton of calcium carbonate (still to be confirmed) in which the sponge tissue is embedded. Spicules are strongyles to strongyloxeas in a loose reticulation. Ground and polished hystological sections of tissue with skeleton are needed for further confirmation. | Hartman, 1979 | orange,encrusting,hard |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Callyspongiidae | Callyspongia ?eschrichti | 9 | Lobate with scattered oscules, conules and contorted skin fibers. Light gray. It remains to be determined if this is C. eschriti or one of the Callyspongia o Tuba species described originally by Duchassaing and Michellotti and now synonymized under C. vaginalis. It is certainly different to C. vaginalis, with which it coexists; but it does not exactly match the thorny appearance of C. eschriti depicted in the literature. Pedro Alcolado (Cuba) names this sponge Callyspongia vaginalis forma solida | Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 | blue,gray,pink-lilac,tube,massive,bushy,lobate,branching,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Callyspongiidae | Callyspongia armigera | 5 | Gray, erect branches, conulose, oscules aligned. | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | gray,branching,tough |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Callyspongiidae | Callyspongia fallax | 8 | Bluish or pinkish tubes, usually low, in groups; may be massive or thickly encrusting with oscular mounds; stiffly spongy; tissue clears away easily, leaving the clean skeleton. | Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 | blue,pink-lilac,branching,tube,tough |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Callyspongiidae | Callyspongia longissima | 2 | Long, single vases-tubes, gray. Considered as a valid, separate species from C. vaginalis, but further analyses may be needed to confirm it. | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | gray,orange,tube,vase,tough |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Callyspongiidae | Callyspongia pallida | 2 | In The Bahamas it grows as light purple or greenish-grayish thin branches or aligned tubes; easily compressible. Lagoonal specimens may be similar to C. fallax, but they are much softer and their fiber networks of much smaller size. In other areas C. pallida is more massive with oscular or tubular mounds, and tends to be whitish. Pedro Alcolado (Cuba) call this form Callyspongia arcesiosa de Laubenfels, 1936, as a distinct species from C. pallida. We found only one form of soft Callyspongia and used C. pallida following van Soest (1980) | Hechtel, 1965 | blue,pink-lilac,branching,tube,soft |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Callyspongiidae | Callyspongia plicifera | 6 | Iridiscent blue vases; when not iridiscent, creamy orange. Surface characteristically convoluted. | (Lamarck, 1814) | blue,pink-lilac,cream,vase,tough |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Callyspongiidae | Callyspongia strongylophora | 1 | A tangled mass of thin, brown branches | Hartman, 1955 | brown,branching,soft |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Callyspongiidae | Callyspongia tenerrima | 7 | Erect, gray branches. Oscula spread throughout the branches, flush with the surface. Surface generally even; a network of fibers is visible. | Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 | gray,pink-lilac,branching,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Callyspongiidae | Callyspongia vaginalis | 4 | Groups of cylindrical tubes, sometimes wider at the top, forming vases, grayish, pinkish, yellowish, with smooth conules. | (Lamarck, 1814) | gray,tube,vase,tough |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Chalinidae | Chalinula molitba | 6 | Light purple to pink to bluish branches or tangled tubes. De Weerdt (2000) included within this species a spongin-dominated morphotype and a spicule-dominating one. Here we include only specimens with spongin-dominated skeletons and use Chalinula pseudomolitba (de Weerdt, Rützler & Smith, 1991) for the spicule-dominated ones. It differs from Ch. pseudomolitba in having a loose network of spongin fibers (ascending and interconnecting) with a few embedded thin spicules | (de Laubenfels, 1949) | blue,pink-lilac,purple-violet,branching,tube,massive,soft |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Chalinidae | Chalinula pseudomolitba | 5 | Light purple or pinkish cushions, even or with oscular mounds or fistules. We use this name for what de Weerdt (2000) refers to the spicule-dominated morph of Ch. molitba (de Laubenfels, 1949). This species is distinguished from the Ch. molitba in having a reticulation of single spicules, or tracts of few spicules, cemented by spongin. This form seems to be restricted to mangrove stilt roots in The Bahamas. The presence of tubes and fistules may one think that it is Haliclona (Reniera) tubifera (George & Wilson) | (de Weerdt, Rützler & Smith, 1991) | pink-lilac,purple-violet,massive,soft |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Chalinidae | Chalinula zeae | 3 | Orange encrustation with a whitish, transparent skin; oscules and exhalant canals conform a star pattern in the surface. Could be easily confused with Clathria species (order Poecilosclerida, family Microcionidae) except that it has oxeas as main spicules instead of styles or subtylostyles. | de Weerdt, 2000 | orange,cream,encrusting,soft |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Chalinidae | Haliclona ?melana | 3 | The only individuals seen were black tangled thin branches partly buried in sand. Only black oscular fistules were visible in the sandy bottom of tidal lagoonal channels. Species originally described from Brazil. The present material conforms to some of the variation described. Confirmation of species identity needs further material and comparisons | Muricy & Ribeiro, 1999 | black,encrusting,papillated,soft |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Chalinidae | Haliclona ?twincayensis | 1 | Whitish-creamy branches, rather soft and limp. Identification remains tentative until further material can be analyzed and comparisons can be made. It has slightly shorter spicules and it is softer than H. magnifica de Weerdt, Rützler & Smith, 1991 collected in the same area. | De Weerdt et al., 1991 | cream,branching,soft |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Chalinidae | Haliclona magnifica | 3 | White crispy and crumbly masses with elevated fistules-oscular tubes. Available photos are from Belize and The Florida Cays (material from The Bahamas was examined but no photo was obtained) | de Weerdt, Rützler & Smith, 1991 | white,tube,massive,papillated,soft,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Chalinidae | Haliclona tubifera | 1 | Soft, limp tubes arising from a base, often with sprawling branchelets. Can be confused with Chalinula molitba forma pseudomolitba (de Weerdt, Rützler & Smith, 1991) | (George & Wilson, 1919) | purple-violet,tube,soft |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Niphatidae | Amphimedon complanata | 2 | Black, thickly encrusting; skeleton as a reticulation of spongin fibers with a few spicules embedded in the ascending fibers. It can be confused with dark brown encrusting Amphimedon compressa. It has a reticulation of clear spongin fibers with a few spicules included. When touched, a subsuperficial pattern of vertical canals, wider than in A. compressa, is visible below the ectosome | (Duchassaing, 1850) | black,encrusting,tough |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Niphatidae | Amphimedon compressa | 11 | Thickly encrusting, massive, flabellated or branching, from dark brown to purple to bright red, sometimes orange; all seem the same species, with a reticulation of spongin fibers filled with oxea. Dark specimens may be confused with black A. complanata | Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 | red,black,brown,cinnamon-tan,branching,encrusting,fan,massive,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Niphatidae | Amphimedon viridis | 3 | Emerald or bluish green masses with oscular mounds. Some specimens appear brownish. We consider A. erina (de Laubenfels, 1936) a junior synonym | Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 | green,massive,encrusting,tube,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Niphatidae | Cribrochalina dura | 1 | Tan to vinaceous, straight erect branches with blunt ends; branches are somewhat elastic and their consistency is slightly compressible, not stiff or crumbly. Here we are following the description of Cribrochalina dura by Wiedenmayer (1977), although the branches that he described are twisted, crooked and anastomosed, but the skeleton coincides. What Wilson (1902) originally described has also been placed under genus Petrosia [but different from P. dura (Nardo, 1883) from The Mediterranean]. However, our material and Wilson (1902) and Wiedenmayer (1977) descriptions clearly show the skeletal architecture of Cribrochalina, made of a reticulation of ascending and interconnecting thick multispicular tracts cemented by spongin. Petrosia, in contrast, has a more isotropic and paucispicular reticulation. Hence the different consistencies, tough in Cribrochalina and brittle in Petrosia. Pharetronema zingibiris ,Sollas 1879 from Jamaica may be conspecific with this species, but it should be compared to branching flattened C. vasculum | (Wilson, 1902) | cinnamon-tan,branching,tough |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Niphatidae | Cribrochalina vasculum | 7 | Also called Cribrochalina infundibulum Schmidt, 1870. Smooth inverted cones, to ear-shaped or fan-shaped, sometimes torn or crooked by waves or predators; color tan to vinaceous. May be confused with Petrosia pellasarca (de Laubenfels, 1934), which is harder and crumbly. Both have a small category of oxeas spicules concentrated at the surface reticulations. But the skeleton of Cribrochalina is made of thick multispicular tracts cemented by spongin, while the one of Petrosia is more paucispicular and loose, hence the different consistencies | (Lamarck, 1814) | brown,cinnamon-tan,vase,branching,fan,tough |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Niphatidae | Niphates ?caycedoi | 4 | Originally described under genus Xestospongia and also referred to genus Amphimedon. Bluish to purplish grayish cushions, sometimes becoming repent branches. Spicules are thin strongylote oxeas (ends blunt to mammiform). In The Bahamas this species was found only in Berry Islands, where it was compared in some detail with coexisting N. alba, N. erecta and N. digitalis. It was distinguished from N. erecta and N. digitalis because these have pointed oxea as spicules. N. alba has similar strongylote spicules and the skeleton looks also similar, but spicules in N. ?caycedoi are slightly thinner. N. caycedoi was originally described from the Southern and Western Caribbean. It also grows as low cushions to thick erect lobes, with similar color and external aspect, but it has more pointed oxea; in some areas it has minute toxa spicules. The identity is therefore tentative, pending further taxonomic work. | (Zea & van Soest, 1996) | blue,gray,purple-violet,branching,encrusting,massive,tough |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Niphatidae | Niphates alba | 4 | Erect cylinders, light purple or bluish. Surface smooth, slighlty shiny, sometimes with spinous conules on top of branches, with level or slightly elevated oscules often with a transparent iris (sometimes completely closed); interior rather cavernous. Its megasclere spicules (strongyles to strongyloxeas) have been compared with sympatric Niphates erecta and Niphates digitalis (both have hastate oxea). Repent specimens of N. ?caycedoi from Stirrups Cay, N Berry Island, Bahamas have the same spicule complement of co-existing erect N. alba, but they are slightly thinner. Also, the surface has a slightly different aspect (more hispid surface, less oscules). | van Soest, 1980 | blue,gray,pink-lilac,purple-violet,branching,encrusting,massive,bushy,tough |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Niphatidae | Niphates digitalis | 6 | Thick vases to thin inverted cones, light gray with pinkish or bluish hues; surface spiny, especially on the rim of the atrium | (Lamarck, 1814) | blue,gray,pink-lilac,tube,vase,tough |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Niphatidae | Niphates erecta | 5 | Repent branches or thick encrustantions, grayish to bluish, with scattered oscules; often riddled with zoanthids. Some thickly encrusting specimens photographed in The Bahamas correspond to what Wiedenmayer (1977) described as Niphates digitalis forma amorpha (synonym Gelliodes sosuae Pulitzer-Finali, 1986), considered as a valid species by van Soest (1980). We did not see large erect specimens in The Bahamas as commonly seen elsewhere in The Caribbean. Given the variability of the species, we prefer to maintain the name of N. erecta for all encrusting or branching, repent or erect Niphates with oxea spicules (N. alba and N. ?caycedoi may be similar but they have strongyle to strongyloxea spicules) | Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 | blue,gray,branching,encrusting,tough |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Petrosiidae | Neopetrosia proxima | 4 | Previously placed under genus Xestospongia. Also known as Densa araminta de Laubenfels, 1934. Dark brown to tan (sometimes with greenish, purplish or pinkish tinges), thick, hard mats incrusted in the substratum, with scattered oscules. When handled, it has a sticky texture | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | green,brown,encrusting,hard |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Petrosiidae | Neopetrosia rosariensis | 4 | Previously placed under genus Xestospongia. In The western and northern Caribbean and The Bahamas, this species occurs as low, dark brown to black tubes, orten partly buried or with a basal mass widely filling crevices from which low tubes protrude. The surface may be riddled with holes. In the southern Caribbean it occurs as long, dark brown, smooth tubes, single or in groups. No photos were obtained in The Bahamas; photos from western and southern Caribbean are included | (Zea & Rützler, 1981) | brown,black,tube,encrusting,hard |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Petrosiidae | Neopetrosia subtriangularis | 5 | Previously placed in genus in Xestospongia. Thick, hard, repent to erect tan branches with oscules aligned on top. It is usually thinner in other Caribbean areas. | (Duchassaing, 1850) | cinnamon-tan,branching,hard |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Petrosiidae | Petrosia pellasarca | 2 | Ear to fan-shaped, uniformly thick (ca. 1 cm), smooth, crumbly, reddish brown (pale in shaded parts). Can be confused with Cribrochalina vasculum (Lamarck, 1814), which is tougher and rather more elastic | (de Laubenfels, 1934) | red,brown,cinnamon-tan,fan,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Petrosiidae | Petrosia sp. | 3 | Medium hard cream to browm cushions with scattered oscula. Typical oxea spicules and skeleton of Petrosia (loose reticulation, not as the thick tracts of genus Cribrochalina), with the smaller category located in the surface reticulation. Perhaps it is a growth form of P. winbergi (also pictured in this catalogue) in overhanging deep reef substrata. Further comparisons are needed | brown,cream,encrusting,massive,crumbly | |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Petrosiidae | Petrosia weinbergi | 4 | Dark green ears partly or totally encrusted onto the substratum; hard and brittle, with a smooth but crusty surface; no oscules usually apparent. Can be confused with Petrosia pellasarca, which is brown, grows more off the substratum and is crumbly | van Soest, 1980 | green,brown,cream,encrusting,fan,massive,lobate,hard,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Petrosiidae | Xestospongia ?deweerdtae | 5 | Thin lavender-pink crust, found living over the sponge Plakortis halichondroides. Oscules of P. halichondroides are free of X. ?deweerdtae tissue; there are also numerous holes on the surface that may serve as inhalant areas for the lower sponge. Strongyles as spicules in isotropic reticulation. Identification is tentative while we are able compare this form with the free living form, to define if they are the same or different species | Lehnert & van Soest, 1999 | pink-lilac,encrusting,soft,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Petrosiidae | Xestospongia muta | 8 | Large barrels, golden to reddish brown. Surface rather smooth or with numerous irregular, finger-hsaped, pyramidal or lamellated projections. Top usually thin-walled, usually with projections. Interior of atria rough, as a bubble-like pattern. Also knows as X. rampa (de Laubenfels, 1934) | (Schmidt, 1870) | yellow,brown,pink-lilac,cream,cinnamon-tan,tube,vase,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Phloeodictyidae | Aka brevitubulata | 2 | Originally described under genus Siphonodictyon. Excavating sponge; tiny yellow papillae (enlarge photo to view) | (Pang, 1973) | yellow,papillated,soft,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Phloeodictyidae | Aka coralliphaga | 11 | Originally described under genus Siphonodictyon. Excavating, with epilithic bright yellow large papillae; excavating mass soft, fills the entire cavities. It may encrust all the excavated substratum becoming massive | (Rützler, 1971) | yellow,encrusting,tube,papillated,massive,tough,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Phloeodictyidae | Aka siphona | 0 | Placed previously under genus Siphonodictyon. Excavating, with epilithic brown papillae | (de Laubenfels, 1949) | brown,papillated,tough |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Phloeodictyidae | Aka xamaycaensis | 2 | Originally described under genus Siphonodictyon. Excavating with epilithic white papillae | (Pulitzer-Finali, 1986) | white,papillated,tough |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Phloeodictyidae | Calyx podatypa | 2 | This name was mistakenly used for Svenzea zeai, but it is a distinct species. Creeping cylinders and cavity-filling masses or crusts under corals and rubble in shallow water. Surface often pierced by holes | (de Laubenfels, 1934) | brown,encrusting,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Haplosclerida | Phloeodictyidae | Oceanapia bartschi | 5 | From small, cavity filling, to medium-size globular, to large barrel-shaped; it is characterized by having a central highly collared and transparent oscule, and erect fistules densely scattered throughout the surface. Tissue color of oscule and fistules is brown. The remaining surface is heavily fouled with crustose, filamentous and flesy algae and sometimes other sessile invertebrates | (de Laubenfels, 1934) | black,brown,spherical,massive,papillated,tough,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Homosclerophorida | Plakinidae | Plakinastrella onkodes | 2 | Cream-gray to yellow lobes with a top oscule, to high, thick-walled tubes. It may also be cushion-shaped with scattered, slightly elevated oscules. Consistency tough. There is geographic variation in megasclere spicule calthrops size, being larger and stouter in the Southern Caribbean. A photo from Colombia is included | (Uliczka, 1929) | cream,gray,yellow,tube,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae | Homosclerophorida | Plakinidae | Plakortis angulospiculatus | 5 | Dark brown to gray, soft cushions. Compared to the other dark (brown to black) species of the genus in the Caribbean [Plakortis halichondroides(Wilson, 1902)], it is thinner, it has smaller oscules and smaller spicules. Can also be confused with a light brown undescribed species or Pseudocorticium also pictured in this catalogue, which lacks spicules | (Carter, 1882) | green,brown,encrusting,massive,soft |
| Demospongiae | Homosclerophorida | Plakinidae | Plakortis halichondrioides | 11 | Dark brown to black (sometimes dark green), thick and large cushions with a few, slightly elevated, large oscules. Underwater strobe brings lighter brown color to photos. A dark ink is exuded when handled and fixed, which strongly stains the fixative. Compared to other Caribbean species of the genus it is less soft, and has larger spicules, of a rather uniform size. In some areas there are light brown (cinnamon-tan) specimens with the same spicule shape and size that apparently do not produce the dark exudate, but more work is needed to find if they belong to a different species. | (Wilson, 1902) | green,black,brown,orange,cinnamon-tan,massive,tough,soft,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Homosclerophorida | Plakinidae | Plakortis zyggompha | 2 | Olive green, soft cushions with scattered oscules. It can be confused with darker green Plakortis halichondroides (Wilson, 1902), which has larger spicules. It has a soft pungent smell, which may easily confuse it with an undescribed species of the genus Pseudocorticium from The Bahamas (photo not yet available) of the same shape and color, which has a stronger pungent smell, but lacks spicules entirely. | (de Laubenfels, 1936) | green,encrusting,massive,soft |
| Demospongiae | Homosclerophorida | Plakinidae | Pseudocorticium sp.-light brown no spicules | 1 | Rather soft, light brown cushions with scattered oscules; no spicules. It has the look of a typical sponge of the genus Plakortis [(especially Plakortis angulospiculatus (Carter, 1882)] except by the lack of spicules. Genus Pseudocorticium was recently erected to hold those species of the family Plakinidae without spicules (Boury-Esnault et al., 1995) | brown,encrusting,soft | |
| Demospongiae | Incertae sedis | Incertae sedis | Unidentified Soft on green filamentous algae | 2 | Soft, thick, light green mas with elevated transparent oscules. Abundant, green filamentous algae traverse the tissue. There are sparse spongin tracts with debris and spicules. Maybe a species of Dysidea? | green,massive,bushy,soft | |
| Demospongiae | Incertae sedis | Incertae sedis | Unidentified Yellow fistules | 3 | Material was lost. Fresh section showed algal tissue. Could be Axinyssa flaveolivescens Hofman & Kielman, 1992, an excavating and burying sponge which turns purple when exposed to air and often does not have spicules (and may be a Suberea) | yellow,papillated,tough | |
| Demospongiae | Lithistida | Desmanthidae | Desmanthus incrustans | 2 | Thinly encrusting, as a hard crust with hispid surface, owing respectively to its Lithisthid skeleton of basal desmas (articulated reticulation of silicon spicules) and erect protruding spicules (styles). Green when deep underwater | (Topsent, 1899) | green,orange,encrusting,hard |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Chondropsidae | Batzella rubra | 3 | Previously placed under genus Keratilum. Soft cushions with wide oscules on elevations. Creamy salmon skin underwater; interior bright orange. Lighter colored stripes radiate from an equally lighter oscular rim. Straight strongyles to strongyloxeas. This is most likely the same as Batzella rosea van Soest, 1984 | (Alcolado, 1984) | red,orange,encrusting,massive,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Chondropsidae | Strongylacidon griseum | 5 | Irregular masses to bushes, with protrusions tending to form or forming tubes with oscules terminated in transparent collars. Often growing on gorgonians. Color light gray to light purple or pink. The skeleton is reinforced by calcareous alga of the type Jania, with megasclere spicules tornotes and microsclere spicules sigmas and chelae. Also known as Strongylacidon osburnensis (George & Wilson, 1929) | (Schmidt, 1870) | gray,pink-lilac,tube,massive,bushy,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Coelosphaeridae | Lissodendoryx isodictyalis | 4 | Light greenish, bluish to grayish, soft crumbly masses with oscular lobes or tubes growing on mangrove roots or on the bottom of lagoons or tidal channels. We were not aware at the time of sampling of the co-occurrece in several geographical areas of L. isodictyalis and L. carolinensis Wilson, 1911, which are quite similar in external shape and spicule complement. While confirming the identification of the photographed specimens, we did not check whether all of our material had two (L. carolinensis) instead on one (L. isodictyalis) size clase of microsclere spicules sigmas and chelae. The only specimen from which we made a tissue section slide indeed had a single size class of these spicules (L. isodictyalis) | (Carter, 1882) | blue,green,gray,massive,crumbly,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Coelosphaeridae | Lissodendoryx sigmata | 1 | Orange-yellow fistules arising from a body buried in sand | (de Laubenfels, 1949) | orange-yellow,encrusting,papillated,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Crambeidae | Monanchora arbuscula | 2 | Also known as Monanchora barbadensis Hechtel, 1969 and M. unguifera (de Laubenfels, 1953). Bright scarlet encrustations to thick or thin bushes. Encrusting specimens with oscules scattered, marked by a white collar and a star pattern of exhalant canals. Erect specimens with many surface knobs or lamellae and oscules on top of tube-like elevations; lighter veing patter can or cannot be evident. It stains the fingers when handled | (Duchassaing & Michelotti) | red,massive,encrusting,bushy,tough |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Desmacellidae | Biemna caribea | 2 | Also known from The Caribbean as Biemna tubulata Dendy, 1905 (but is an Indian Ocean name). Yellow encrustations or oscular masses or sprawling tubules and branches. It grows on mangrove stilt roots or erect substrata on lagoonal environments. From the lacking a good photo from The Bahamas A photo from Colombian mangroves is included | Pulitzer-Finali, 1986 | yellow,branching,tube,massive,lobate,encrusting,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Desmacellidae | Biemna cribaria | 4 | Light brown rather circular sponge that lives partially buried in sediments; surface with irregular processes, and elevated oscular areas with shallow internal exhalant canals. It is reminiscent of dirty old cow dung. Also known as Biemna oxeata van Soest & Stentoft, 1988 | Alcolado & Gotera, 1986 | brown,massive,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Desmacellidae | Biemna sp.-yellow tough cushions | 2 | Yellow, small tough cushions with punctiform surface; mucosy. Different from Biemna caribea Pulitzer-Finali, 1986 and from B. cribaria (Alcolado & Gotera, 1986). Probably a new species still to be described. | orange-yellow,massive,tough | |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Desmacellidae | Neofibularia nolitangere | 7 | "Touch-me-not sponge." In the Bahamas it occurs as thick encrustation to tall masses with scattered wide and deep atria, maroon to orange-brown; oscules inside atria are directed diagonally upwards. In other Caribbean areas it consists of large vases/tubes, single or in groups, while in The Bahama it appears as if these vases had laterally fused. It produces strong itching when handled | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | red,brown,orange,vase,massive,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Desmacididae | Desmapsamma anchorata | 3 | Also known as Holopsamma helwigi de Laubenfels, 1936. Soft pinkish masses with or without branches; oscules scattered and usually elevated; skin is pale and contrasts with strong orange of the interior tissue. When handled it releases abundant mucus. Bahamas populations do not have microsclere spicules. Photos from Colombia are included | (Carter, 1882) | pink-lilac,branching,lobate,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Hymedesmiidae | Phorbas amaranthus | 6 | Red to purple, thin encrustations to thick cushions. It stains the fingers when handled. Surface with fields of round, slightly elevated areas which are fields of inhalant pores. Oscules scatteres, slightly elevated or in volcano-like mounds | Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 | red,purple-violet,encrusting,massive,lobate,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Iotrochotidae | Iotrochota arenosa | 4 | Thickly encrusting, irregular outline, deep purple to black, but somewhat transparent, usually partly buried on sediments; it produces abundant mucus which stains the fingers. Material from The Bahamas does not have birotule microsclere spicules, and megaslclere spicules are thin, curved to straight strongyles, often with a slight swelling at one or both ends. The lack of style spicules and birotules in The Bahamas material, parallel what is found in local populations of Iotrochota birolulata (Higgin, 1877), which Rützler et al. (2007) named I. atra (Whitfield, 1901) . It is thicker than Artemisina melana van Soest, 1984, with it which may be confused in the field. | Rützler, Maldonado, Piantoni & Riesgo, 2007 | black,purple-violet,encrusting,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Iotrochotidae | Iotrochota birotulata | 11 | Also known from The Bahamas as Iotrochota atra Rützler, Maldonado, Piantoni and Riesgo, 2007. Deep purple to black, repent to erect, single or divided branches; often with parrot green tinges; upon manipulation, the skin retracts; it stains the fingers deep purple. Oscules aligned usually on top of branches, may be slightly elevated. Sometimes found as clusters of tubes with top oscules. Rützler et al. (2007) decided that the material from The Bahamas, lacking birotulate microsclere spicules and style megasclere spicules, should be a different species which they named I. atra (Whitfield, 1901). But since its encrusting counterpart, I. arenosa, also lack birotules and styles in The Bahamas, we feel it to be the result of a regional condition (of low silicon content?) that affects both species | (Higgin, 1877) | green,black,yellow,branching,encrusting,tube,bushy,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Merliidae | Merlia normani | 1 | Orange, thin and hard encrustation on the underside of laminar corals or on cave walls. Characteristic clavadisc spicules. This species is a sclerosponge but may be devoid of basal massive calcareous skeleton (form previously known as Merlia deficiens Vacelet, 1980, see van Soest, 1984b). Our material apparently does not have a basal skeleton but we did not check for it. Original name from Arch. Madeira, W. Africa, but seems to be a widespread species from the Indian Ocean, The Mediterranean, E. and W. Atlantic | Kirkpatrick, 1908 | orange,encrusting,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Microcionidae | Artemisina melana | 4 | Thin, soft black sheet; purple inside; stains the fingers purple. Could be confused with Iotrochota arenosa, which is always thicker and releases more mucus. | van Soest, 1984 | black,encrusting,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Microcionidae | Clathria ?schoenus | 3 | Placed also under genera Aulospongus, Microciona, Rhaphidophlus and Thalysias. Also known as Clathria raraechelae (van Soest, 1984). Thin encrustations with transparent skin and red and yellow interior (often speckled). Exhalant canals in a star pattern centering in the oscules are evident. Could be confused with Clathria venosa (Alcolado, 1984)(=Microciona microchela Hechtel, 1965), but the latter has a white pinkish skin with deep orange interior and the star pattern of canals is much larger. They have also differences in spiculation, the most important being that styles have a smooth head in C. schoenus and a rugose one in C. vanosa. The identification is tentative for The Bahamas material because spicule development there is low and not all spicules are present. Specimen 182 did not have microscleres (chelae, toxa). Southern Caribbean populations have stouter spicules and there is a small category of chelae (=microchela) | (de Laubenfels, 1936) | red,white,yellow,orange,encrusting,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Microcionidae | Clathria ?venosa | 4 | Also placed under genera Microciona, Thalysias and Rhaphidophlus. Also known as Microciona microchela Hechtel, 1965 and Clathria hechteli Hooper, 1996; erroneously synonymyzed to Clathria schoenus (de Laubenfels, 1936). Encrustations with a transparent to whitish/pinkish dermis and a dull red interior. The dermis outlines a wide star pattern of exhalant canals radiating from the oscules. The identification for The Bahamas material is tentative because not all spicule types or C. venosa are present; southern Caribbeaen populations have a small chela (microchela). The conspicuous vein pattern of the surface plus structural style spicules with mucronated heads (in addition to chelae and toxa) may distinguish it from other Clathria species | (Alcolado, 1984) | red,white,cream,encrusting,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Microcionidae | Clathria calla | 5 | Red, thick encrustation on gorgonian branches. Surface looks pierced by numerous, contiguous perforations. Transparent skin outlines oscules and exhalant canals | (de Laubenfels, 1934) | orange,red,encrusting,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Microcionidae | Clathria echinata | 1 | Originally placed under genus Axociella. Also known as Clathria (Microciona) simpsoni van Soest, 1984. Bright red vases, single or in groups, with the outer surface very spiny. May be confused with Mycale laxissima (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864), but the latter is usually dark purple, is much more mucous, and has a different spicule complement | (Alcolado, 1984) | orange,vase,tough |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Microcionidae | Clathria faviformis | 8 | Orange-yellow irregular masses with rugose surface, often growing among algae in vertical cliffs. It may be confused with massive or cavity-filling specimens of Agelas citrina Alcolado, 1987 | Lehnert & van Soest, 1996 | orange,orange-yellow,spherical,massive,soft,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Microcionidae | Clathria spinosa | 2 | Bright orange encrustations with spiny surface | Wilson, 1902 | red,encrusting,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Microcionidae | Clathria virgultosa | 3 | Previously known as Clathria juniperina (Lamarck, 1814). Red, erect to repent branches, single or ramified; scattered oscules; surface nodulose. | (Lamarck, 1814) | red,branching,tough |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Microcionidae | Clathrina ?panis | 2 | Anastomosed lemon yellow tubes forming cushions from which a few oscules raise. Tubes appear clearly separated of each other in thick sections, lined tangentially by spicules. Cryptic species from mangrove roots and underside of caves and corals in shallow water. C. panis is the only Caribbean species (Florida) redescribed by Klautau and Valentine (2003), with tri and tetractines. In The Bahamas, there is another cryptic yellow calcareous sponge, in which the tubes are more compact, forming cushions with oscules, having only triactines (see Clathrina? Sp.). | (Haeckel, 1872) | yellow,encrusting,massive,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Microcionidae | Pandaros acanthifolium | 3 | Dark red to purple bushes, crown with oscular tubes or lobes; surface very irregular and contorted. Stains the fingers when handled | Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 | purple-violet,branching,tube,bushy,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Mycalidae | Mycale laevis | 5 | Bright orange yellow crumbly masses filling crevices or growing below laminar corals; oscules and skin tend to be transparent | (Carter, 1882) | yellow,orange,orange-yellow,encrusting,crumbly,tough |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Mycalidae | Mycale laxissima | 8 | Dark red, brown to purple or violet barrels-thick tubes, single or in groups, with a transparent collar lining the oscules/atria. Surface is spinuous owing to arising fibers. Its mucosy tissue falls off when handled, staining the fingers. It may also be encrusting or fill cavities in crevices. It may be confused with Clathria spinosa, but the latter is stiffer and has a much spinuous surface. The lack of the microsclere spicule complement in specimens from certain areas generated many synonyms (see World Porifera Database, van Soest et al., 2009) | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | red,brown,purple-violet,encrusting,tube,vase,massive,lobate,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Mycalidae | Mycale microsigmatosa | 2 | Thick encrustations to repent branches with scattered membranous oscules. Surface smooth or with spined elevations (possibly made up by worm tubes or hydroid stalks). Skin transparent and thick; the orange to red color looks like curd beneath the dermis. Material from The Bahamas did not have microsclere spicules, but the identification was made from the skeletal arrangement, texture and color. A photo from Colombia is included for comparisons | (Arndt, 1927) | red,orange,bushy,branching,encrusting,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Raspailiidae | Ectyoplasia ferox | 6 | Orange to orange-yellow thick encrustations with oscules on volcano-like elevations with wide rims; surface smooth, although it may be uneven. In larger specimens volcanos can grow as tubes. Cave or reef-wall specimens can be thinner with less elevated oscules, which can have a transparent collar. Tidal channel specimens can be rather irregular, lobed, with furrows and grooves. Ectyoplasia ferox explicata described by Wiedenmayer (1977) from The Bahamas is Dragmacidon explicata, a valid species, different from this one | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | orange,yellow,cinnamon-tan,orange-yellow,encrusting,massive,tube,lobate,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Tedaniidae | Tedania ignis | 3 | Bright orange, irregular masses with oscules located in lower mounds. The allocation of specimens to either T. ignis or T. klausi Wulff, 2006 was made after the photos were taken, so identification here is tentative. T. klausi has tall oscular chimneys with vertical inflated canals forming stripes | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | red,orange,blue,massive,papillated,crumbly,soft |
| Demospongiae | Poecilosclerida | Tedaniidae | Tedania klausi | 2 | Bright orange to vermillion masses with upright oscular chimneys which have vertical stripes made of inflated canals. The allocation of specimens to either T. klausi or T. ignis (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) was made after the photos were taken, so identification here is tentative. T. ignis does not have the tall oscular chimneys; oscules lie on lower cones or flush to the surface | Wulff, 2006 | orange,massive,soft,crumbly |
| Demospongiae | Spirophorida | Tetillidae | Cinachyrella kuekenthali | 6 | Previously placed under Cinachyra. Orange-yellow spheres with fouled surface. Surface hispid with erect spicules which may stick into diver's fingers and gloves. Circular depresions are pore areas. Small individuals have a top oscule and equatorially placed pore areas. Larger specimens have oscules grouped in an upper depression and pore areas more randomly scattered throughout the surface. Cinachyrella alloclada is another common species of this genus, but we were unable to find it or perhaps to distinguish it within our material. C. kuekenthali is distinguished mainly by having small, crenulated oxea | (Uliczka, 1929) | yellow,orange-yellow,spherical,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae | Verongida | Aplysinellidae | Suberea sp. (soft Aplysina lacunosa) | 6 | It has probably being missidentified as Aplysina lacunosa (Pallas, 1766), which is a different species. Single or groups of globular tubes with a somewhat convoluted and heavily fouled surface. Oscules on top of lobes and tubes have a fleshy low collar; the bottom of the atrium has a concave membrane heavily perforated. It belongs to genus Suberea by its skeleton of dendritic, pithed fibers. A search for an existing name in the old literature is needed before proposing a new one | yellow,green,tube,spherical,massive,lobate,tough,soft | |
| Demospongiae | Verongida | Aplysinidae | Aiolochroia crassa | 15 | Previously placed under genus Pseudoceratina. Multicolor and multishape sponge, probably meaning there may be several species. The most usual morphotypes consist of a basal mass (could be ridged) with oscular lobes or long tubes, with bluish, purplish or pinkish tones; the surface is knobbed, often in a regular pattern. There is a distinct spherical yellow morphotype with collared oscules flush to the surface, which here is described as a separate form | (Hyatt, 1875) | yellow,orange,blue,purple-violet,cinnamon-tan,massive,tube,vase,fan,spherical,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae | Verongida | Aplysinidae | Aiolochroia crassa yellow spherical morphotype | 4 | Yellow spherical masses with scattered collared non-elevated oscules and low nodules (tops of ascending skeletal fibers). Sometimes there are large apical atria, conforming a vase. It status as a separate species needs to be evaluated | (Hyatt, 1875) | yellow,vase,spherical,tough |
| Demospongiae | Verongida | Aplysinidae | Aplysina archeri | 11 | Long tubes, single or in groups, usually having an iridiscent lavender color, but co-occurring specimens may be brownish or greenish tan. | (Higgin, 1875) | green,brown,pink-lilac,purple-violet,branching,tube,tough |
| Demospongiae | Verongida | Aplysinidae | Aplysina bathyphila | 8 | Tan to cream stalked cup. This is the only stalked aplysinid in The Caribbean. It inhabits the deep reef slopes. Pale specimens in caves and crevices. Variation in consistency and color may imply the existence of more than one species | Maldonado & Young, 1998 | yellow,brown,cream,cinnamon-tan,tube,vase,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae | Verongida | Aplysinidae | Aplysina cauliformis-brown erect morphotype | 7 | There are two clearly separable species, both ramose, within the name Aplysina cauliformis. This morphotype is erect, thick, brownish, in contrast to the thinner, lilac, usually creeping one. A valid name should be searched for in the old literature and collections | (Carter, 1882) | gray,brown,pink-lilac,cream,cinnamon-tan,branching,tough |
| Demospongiae | Verongida | Aplysinidae | Aplysina cauliformis-lilac creeping morphotype | 10 | There are two clearly separable species, both ramose, within the name Aplysina cauliformis. This morphotype is lilac, thin, creeping, in contrast to the more cinnamon/brownish/cream, generally thicker, erect form. A valid name for this form should be searched for in the old literature and collections | (Carter, 1882) | pink-lilac,cinnamon-tan,branching,tough |
| Demospongiae | Verongida | Aplysinidae | Aplysina fistularis | 8 | Yellow tubes, smooth or with little branchelets. In The Bahamas it is difficult to decide when a small specimen with branchelets is A. fistularis or A. insularis. Aggregated tubes were called forma aggregata by Wiedenmayer (1977) | (Pallas, 1766) | yellow,tube,tough |
| Demospongiae | Verongida | Aplysinidae | Aplysina fulva | 11 | Mustard yellow groups of anastomosed branches with scattered oscules flush to the surface; sometimes with oscular mounds towards the base | (Pallas, 1766) | yellow,branching,tough |
| Demospongiae | Verongida | Aplysinidae | Aplysina insularis | 13 | Lower and usually smaller tubes than in Aplysina fistularis; usually crowned with branchelets. It prefers shallow reefs and lagoon and tidal channels environments. In The Bahamas it may be an ecophenotypic form of A. fistularis, but it appears to be a valid species elsewhere in The Caribbean and in Brazil | (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) | yellow,orange,branching,tube,massive,bushy,tough |
| Demospongiae | Verongida | Aplysinidae | Aplysina lacunosa | 8 | Creamy yellow to brownish vases or tubes, riddled with roundish holes; usually hard. Not to be confused with Suberea sp., which has mistakenly been included within this species in the past. | (Lamarck, 1814) | red,yellow,cinnamon-tan,tube,vase,spherical,lobate,hard,tough |
| Demospongiae | Verongida | Aplysinidae | Aplysina sp.-small lacunosa with branchelets | 2 | Central low tube with branchelets. It may be a juvenile of A. caulilformis brown erect or of A. lacunosa. | cinnamon-tan,orange-yellow,branching,tube,tough | |
| Demospongiae | Verongida | Aplysinidae | Verongula gigantea | 5 | Inverted cones with relatively thin walls, greenish to purplish in the outside, bright yellow inside, turn purple in air. Skeleton is a pithed spongin fiber network forming the walls of a honeycomb, which show on the surface. A sister species is V. reiswigi Alcolado, 1984 (also pictured in this catalogue), whose shape is that of a thick-walled barrel or amphora | (Hyatt, 1875) | yellow,brown,cinnamon-tan,vase,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae | Verongida | Aplysinidae | Verongula reiswigi | 9 | Thick-walled barrels-jugs, single or in groups. Greenish to purplish in the outside, bright yellow inside, turn purple in air. Skeleton is a pithed spongin fiber network forming the walls of a honeycomb, which show on the surface. A sister species is V. gigantea (Hyatt, 1875) (also pictured in this catalogue), whose shape is that of a thin-walled inverted cone | Alcolado, 1984 | yellow,green,brown,purple-violet,tube,vase,lobate,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae | Verongida | Aplysinidae | Verongula rigida | 8 | Groups of low oscular mounds-tubes, placed side by side and irregularly arranged,orften forming repent branches. In wave-exposed sites the species looks as repent thick branches with oscules aligned on top. Color light to dark green in the outside, lemon yellow in the inside, turns purple in air. Skeleton is a pithed spongin fiber network forming the walls of a honeycomb, which show on the surface | (Esper, 1794) | yellow,green,branching,encrusting,tube,massive,soft |
